befuddle

B3E1F4U1D2D2L1E1
UK/bɪˈfʌdl/

verb

To perplex, confuse (someone).

“The explanation left him completely befuddled.”

Similar
addlebafflevexloseembroilstickstumpbaffound
OriginEnglish fuddle ← Middle English bi- ← Old English be- →
UncommonScrabble 15
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbbefuddle (third-person singular simple present befuddles, present participle befuddling, simple past and past participle befuddled)

present singular third person befuddles · participle present befuddling · participle past befuddled · past befuddled

  1. transitiveTo perplex, confuse (someone).

    The explanation left him completely befuddled.

    1 more example

    Slowly the ape-man picked out the meaning of the various combinations of letters on the printed page, and as he read, the little bugs, for as such he always thought of the letters, commenced to run about in a most confusing manner, blurring his vision and befuddling his thoughts.

    1916, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Nightmare”, in Jungle Tales of Tarzan, A. C. McClurg

    Synonyms: addle, baffle, vex, lose, embroil, stick, stump, baffound

  2. transitiveTo stupefy (someone), especially with alcohol.

    […] to the American and French alcoholics, who drink in order to get drunk and befuddle the brain

    1983, Basile Kerblay, Modern Soviet Society, page 290

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo perplex, confuse (someone).

Similar
addlebafflevexloseembroilstickstumpbaffoundbamboozlebedevilthrowbemudbemusebewilderbumfuzzlecomplicateconfoundconfuddleconfuse

More synonyms by meaning

verbbe confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly

Similar
confusethrowfoxfuddlebedevilconfounddiscombobulateflurrydisconcert
Broader
affectimpactbear upon

verbmake stupid with alcohol

Similar
fuddle
Broader
intoxicatesoakinebriate
Also see
bafflebaffoundbedevilbewilderconfoundconfusediscombobulatedisconcertentangleflusterfoxfuddlemix upmuddyperturbpuzzleravelthrow

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁ep-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éps
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₁épi
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₁pi
  5. Proto-Germanic*bi
  6. Proto-Germanic*bi-
  7. Proto-West Germanic*bi-
  8. Old Englishbe-
  9. Middle Englishbi-
  10. Englishbe-
  11. Englishfuddle
  12. Englishbefuddle

From be- + fuddle.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian обърквам, опиянявам
  • обърквам (obărkvam)perplex or confuse
  • опиянявам (opijanjavam)stupefy
Chinese Mandarin 使困惑, 使迷惑
  • 使困惑perplex or confuse
  • 使迷惑perplex or confuse
Czech zmást, omráčit
  • zmástperplex or confuse
  • omráčitstupefy
Dutch verbazen, verwarren
  • verbazenperplex or confuse
  • verwarrenperplex or confuse
  • verdwazenstupefy
  • verdovenstupefy
Finnish hämmentää, häkellyttää
  • hämmentääperplex or confuse
  • häkellyttääperplex or confuse
  • huumatastupefy
  • päihdyttäästupefy
French brouiller, confondre
  • brouillerperplex or confuse
  • confondreperplex or confuse
  • épaterperplex or confuse
German verwirren, berauschen
  • verwirrenperplex or confuse
  • berauschenstupefy
Italian confondere, sconcertare
  • confondereperplex or confuse
  • sconcertareperplex or confuse
  • ingarbugliarestupefy
  • annebbiarestupefy
  • istupidirestupefy
Māori whakapōkaikaha
  • whakapōkaikahaperplex or confuse
Portuguese confundir
  • confundirperplex or confuse
Russian сбива́ть с толку, одурманивать
  • сбива́ть с толку (sbivátʹ s tolku)perplex or confuse
  • одурманивать (odurmanivatʹ)stupefy
Spanish confundir
  • confundirperplex or confuse
Swedish omtöckna
  • omtöcknaperplex or confuse

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with befuddle

confuddle
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

befuddle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/befuddle

MLA

“befuddle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/befuddle. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “befuddle,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/befuddle.

Source: befuddle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.